The Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club Questionnaire for November 2020
Dear Candidates and Ballot Measure Representatives,
Congratulations on declaring your candidacy! The Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club invites you to get to know us a little better as we plan our endorsements for the November 2020 election.
There are a few steps in our endorsement process: 1. Complete and submit your questionnaire by July 23rd 2. Sign up for an endorsement interview 3. Interview with the club on either July 25th or 26th via Zoom
From there, our PAC will vote on endorsement recommendations on Tuesday, August 11th, with the final endorsement vote taking place at our general membership meeting on August 18th.
Your participation in our Club’s questionnaire and interviews will allow our Membership to better understand who you are, what you stand for, and what you plan to accomplish if you are elected to office.
There are three parts to our questionnaire, plus additional questions for individual offices: Part 1 is a series of short-answer questions, with a 150-word limit on answers. Part 2 is a series of Yes or No questions covering a broad set of issues. Part 3 covers whom you have endorsed for office currently and in the past.
Please return your completed questionnaire to [email protected] and to [email protected] no later than July 23rd.
In addition to this questionnaire, we invite you to participate in a recorded video interview on Zoom with Club leadership on either July 25th or July 26th from 10am to 5pm. This virtual interview replaces the typical in-person presentation to our Membership, and the recording will be shared with our Members ahead of our endorsement recommendation and final vote.
To schedule your interview: 1. Sign up for a time slot here 2. Register on Zoom here
Your questionnaire responses and interview answers will weigh heavily in our overall endorsement process, so please take both seriously.
Good luck!
-- The Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club
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Required Information
Full Name: Anita Martinez
Office: Board of Trustees, City College
Campaign Address: 4400 25th Street, San Francisco, CA 94114
Campaign Phone: (415) 810-2231
Campaign Email: [email protected]
Campaign Website: anitamartinezforcollegeboard.com
Political Party: Democrat
Are you a Member of the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Club?: NO
If so, since when?:
Do you identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ)?: No
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PART 1:
Questions for All Candidates
1. Describe your qualifications for the office you are seeking. Feel free to add anything that you would like our Members to know about you and your candidacy.
I have worked 40 years in Bay Area community colleges, 28 years at CCSF: teacher, faculty leader (AFT 2121 President), dean, and vice chancellor. I was Language Arts Dean, Skyline College, and Vice President of Student Learning, College of Marin. I can read and balance budgets; I’m experienced in policy proposal/approval; I’ve participated in the selection of chancellors. These are the three primary responsibilities of the Board: monitor and balance the budget; propose and approve policy; and hire, supervise, and fire a chancellor.
I have an associate’s degree from San Joaquin Delta College. My family was rich in love but not much else so my AA was the key to the rest of my education. Everyone should have the same opportunity, especially essential workers for whom a degree may mean they could find a job with better income and the possibility of sheltering at home during a pandemic.
2. Do you have any key endorsements that you would like to share? Why are these endorsements meaningful to you?
My key endorsements follow, along with an explanation of their meaningfulness.
AFT 2121: My faculty team campaigned and won representation rights for our union (1970s). I served on the first three or four bargaining teams and was elected president three times. AFT 2121 is an exemplar, winning good contracts, and a pioneer for part-time faculty rights (benefits, pro-rata pay; seniority). AFT 2121 has led the way on campus with Free City College and the Workforce Education Recovery Act.
Jackie Fielder: a young queer Native American Mexicana running for State Senate. I admire her work and energy. Our communities need progressive voices like hers.
Bernal Heights Democratic Club: I respect the club because it is neighborhood-based and not only endorses but also works for those it endorses.
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3. What do you see as the most important short-term and long-term solutions to SF’s homelessness crisis? What can you do in your office to help end homelessness?
A short-term solution is to continue to house homeless people in hotel rooms; San Francisco saw a huge increase in our homeless population when affordable SROs were razed to develop South of Market.
A long term solution at the federal level could be a guaranteed basic income pegged to the local cost of living.
As a CCSF Board member I would support HARTS (Homeless At-Risk Transitional Students) and hope its mission could be expanded to include specific outreach and support for foster youth and LGBTQ youth to connect them not only with college but also city resources.
4. What work have you done to address economic inequality and housing unaffordability in San Francisco? What will you do to address them if elected?
Economic inequality: Following the 1968-69 TWLF Strike, our strategy was to enroll low-income students as special admits and support them with counseling, student services, and a first-year curriculum focusing on freshman English, psychology, and Ethnic Studies; students could acquire skills for college success while learning about themselves as individuals and as communities. Students who completed the program are in a variety of professions, elevating themselves and their families economically.
City College can provide access to higher incomes; a person with an associate’s degree earns $1 million more than someone with a high school diploma. I support initiatives to hire student workers as peer counselors, mentors, and tutors providing them needed income while they help other students.
If I had been on the Board before, I would have supported 100% affordable housing in the Balboa Reservoir development with specific housing for homeless, LGBTQ, and foster youth.
5. Describe your work addressing racial injustice, economic inequity, and police brutality in San Francisco.
My work began as a student foot soldier during the 1968-69 student strike at San Francisco State. I learned about systemic racism, the importance of knowing self and community, coalition and community building, and persistence toward our objective. We saw higher education as a means to develop leaders to struggle against racial injustice and economic inequality. We experienced police brutality; mounted SFPD mowed down student strikers, beating medics who came to our aid.
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This led to a personal commitment to improving educational access and success for under-served communities. At the Ethnic Studies Teach-In in Spring 2019 during African American History Month I spoke about the strike telling students I was passing the baton along to them in the marathon relay race for social justice. At the end, I announced my candidacy, saying that I too would again carry the baton this time through service on the Board.
6. How have you supported LGBTQ San Franciscans, and how will you continue to do so if elected?
One work example: while a Skyline dean, a teacher transitioned and I did all I could to support him at work, for example, helping a few students who objected to being in her class focus on what they were learning in class and helping them respect her transition. I didn’t think I did much, but I was touched when she stopped by the office before I left Skyline to thank me for being there.
I have supported LGBTQ political candidates, e.g., Harry Britt, Tim Wolfred,Tom Ammiano, Mark Leno, and Scott Weiner.
If elected, I will fight to restore classes, including classes in Ethnic Studies and Social Justice departments, that were cut during the past two years to balance the budget. I will advocate for the expansion of Ethnic Studies and Social Justice Studies which includes LGBTQ Studies. The departments are small with few fulltime faculty; they need to grow.
7. Describe your work addressing the climate crisis, and what specific steps you would take if elected to confront climate change and environmental injustice.
I march, donate to environmental justice organizations, write letters, and work to mitigate our family’s environmental impact on the environment. We installed a home solar system to power our home and an all-electric car and a plug-in hybrid; it puts electricity on the grid. We participate in CleanPower San Francisco; we reduce, reuse, recycle, and donate, specifically minimizing our consumption of new consumer goods.
As Vice President at College of Marin after the college won a $65 million bond, I learned about design and siting to minimize environmental impact from architects and construction managers designing and constructing instructional buildings; I know the questions to ask as a Board member. (I was disappointed when I returned to CCSF to teach a couple of years before retiring to be assigned a classroom in a new building that seemed to have neglected to address such impact questions.)
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8. Describe a time when you worked against an established power structure or entrenched authority to achieve progressive change. How was this positive change accomplished?
During the SFSU student strike, we learned that by working in coalition and building support among allies, we achieve more. The student strike probably should not have succeeded. Governor Ronald Reagan appointed S.I. Hayakawa to break the strike, fire faculty supporters, and arrest student strikers. We organized our departments to go out. The faculty union, appalled by the police violence, marched with us, providing some protection. Local community based organizations and religious congregations showed support. We won the strike, establishing the School of Ethnic Studies and the EOP.
Victory had two parts: first, our two key demands were met. Second, SF State is now majority minority; before the strike, I was often the only student of color in my classes. The diversity or social justice curriculum is wide-spread and has moved beyond Ethnic Studies. Students are learning about the histories, contributions, and struggles of all communities, not just one.
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Only Congressional Candidates
1. Please explain why you are running for Congress.
2. Do you support Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal? Why or why not?
3. Do you support Medicare For All? If so, how would you implement it?
4. Do you support reducing military spending, and diverting these funds towards domestic programs? If so, how would you help implement this?
5. Do you support reducing America’s military presence in other countries?
6. What would you do to improve America’s current immigration policy?
7. What steps will you take to ensure reproductive freedom?
8. Do you support raising the Federal Minimum wage? If so, to what amount?
9. Is your campaign accepting any corporate or PAC money? If so, please list those sources.
10. What are your main strategies for meeting potential voters during this campaign?
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Only Supervisorial Candidates
1. What are your top three legislative priorities if elected.
2. Should SFPD be reformed, transformed, reimagined, defunded, or abolished? And why?
3. How exactly will San Francisco balance its budget during this current economic crisis?
4. How best should the Board of Supervisors handle the current COVID-19 health crisis and the shelter-in-place orders for both individuals and for businesses?
5. Do you support expanding transit-only lanes in your district?
6. What strategies will you use to preserve and expand affordable housing in your district?
7. Do you support a navigation center in your district?
8. How would you characterize the relationship between the executive and legislative branches of government in San Francisco?
9. Who do you currently see as your closest allies on the Board of Supervisors?
10. If district add-back funds are available in the future, where and how would you allocate them in your district?
11. Which of San Francisco’s governmental bureaucracies is in most need of an audit and why?
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Only School Board Candidates
1. Do you support charter schools in San Francisco? Why or why not?
2. Do you support Common Core education standards?
3. What is your plan to address the bullying of LGBTQ students, as well as students of traditionally marginalized communities?
4. How will you address the needs of homeless students?
5. What are your plans to protect undocumented students and their families?
6. What are the most important actions that you can take in your office to stabilize and support African American students?
7. Do you support alternatives to a student’s suspension in instances of disruption or willful defiance? 8. Do you support the removal of the Life of Washington mural at George Washington High School? Why or why not? If yes, what form of removal do you support?
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Only City College Board Candidates
1. What specific experience do you have with the City College of San Francisco?
At CCSF I worked at most campuses, in credit and noncredit instruction, in student services and instruction. In response to an accreditation recommendation, in 1990, the Board decided to establish a one-college district rather than a multi-college district. A new chancellor was hired and proposed the Board appoint a new administrative team comprised of current administrators and faculty leaders. I was appointed interim Vice Chancellor of Instruction because as an AFT leader, I knew faculty and staff across the district and the district budget. I led the team that integrated credit and noncredit instruction with a flat administrative chart, implemented participatory governance committee structure/processes, and created 70 fulltime faculty jobs, in nine months.
CCSF is faced with re-establishing trust, balancing the budget, and reviewing the administrative structure. If we could re-organize the college in 1990, doing what is needed could be done in a year.
2. What is your plan to address the bullying of LGBTQ students, as well as students of traditionally marginalized communities?
If the bully is a student, the student discipline officer must enforce the Student Code of Conduct which prohibits, “Engaging in intimidating conduct or bullying ...” If there’s a pattern, the College as a community must establish a bully-free environment.
A two-step complaint process addressing bullying by employees is in the College Catalog. Bullying is a violation of Policy Manual Section 1.18 (BP1.18). Institutional Code of Ethics which describes ethical behavior as protecting human dignity and protecting students from “disparagement, or arbitrary judgement.”
I would ask for a report on student complaints about bullying and how they were resolved; I expect the Chancellor to model ethical behavior, making clear to all employees that bullying is not tolerated.
I am committed to restorative/transformative justice and would encourage enrollment in LGBTQ courses and two of the Diversity and Social Justice courses in the Interdisciplinary Studies Department on heterosexim and transphobia.
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3. How would you address the needs of homeless students?
HARTS (Homeless-at-Risk-Transitional Students) needs to be supported and further expanded. At one point, the college worked to see if food stamps could be used at the cafeteria; it’s worth exploring if they are not. In the past, counselors and other student services personnel would stock a small pantry of non-perishables to give students. I know that some of the student resource centers are also sites for food pantries. Could we also explore if Free City College could be expanded to address the food insecurity needs of homeless students? Or work with the Food Bank? I would also like to explore if there is space on College land where students could park RVs, or if the College could secure public spaces near the Ocean campus to be allotted to CCSF students.
4. What are your plans to protect undocumented students and their families?
I would ask through the Chancellor what information the College must share with the federal government as a condition of receiving federal funds, most of it in student financial aid, and what protections are in place to prevent citizenship status from being disclosed. I would also like a review of any documents students must submit to matriculate or apply for financial aid that require citizenship disclosure and would ask if those documents can be revised. I don’t know if US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has come to the college or been an issue, but if there is any possibility that it could, my position is that we deny access and presence.
5. Did you support or oppose the hiring of former Chancellor Mark Rocha? How would you describe his tenure as chancellor?
I was opposed to his hiring; the Board should have appointed an interim chancellor. Rocha’s tenure was unsuccessful. The last audit showed the budget was overspent the past three years, especially in non-essential areas like travel. The District paid monthly rent for several administrators, something new. He secured large raises for the best paid employees.
Morale was never lower than under Rocha. The interaction between Rocha and the Board was upside down; he acted as if he were their boss instead of being the one employee the Board supervises.
Rocha parroted the same line as prior outside administrators: the College should be downsized and its mission trimmed. He cut noncredit instruction, classes that generated more than they cost. Immigrants were deprived of education access when needed noncredit ESL classes were cut. Older adult classes were decimated last year, depriving elders of their only adult education classes in San Francisco.
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6. Do you support the Workforce Education and Recovery Fund to dedicate permanent funding for non-credit classes at City College?
Absolutely. It is much needed. I hope that Prop 15 passes resulting in better funding for schools and communities in the near future. I also support wealth taxes under discussion.
Only BART Board Candidates
1. What are your plans to keep BART safe from viral spread during this COVID-19 crisis?
2. What are your plans to keep BART financially solvent during this COVID-19 crisis?
3. Will you vote or have you voted for fare increases? Should BART parking fees be increased across the East Bay and/or elsewhere?
4. Should BART police be defunded, disarmed, or banned entirely? Why or why not?
5. Do you support a regional sales tax to fund transit? Why or why not?
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Only Ballot Measures
1. Please include any and all contact information for your ballot measure position.
2. Briefly explain your position on this ballot initiative and why it should pass or fail this election cycle.
3. What would be the fiscal impact of this ballot measure if it passes?
4. Who crafted this ballot measure, and how was it placed on the ballot?
5. Who are your ballot measure position’s principal consultants, and what are your main funding sources?
6. Who are some of your ballot measure position’s individual and organizational supporters?
7. Why do you think the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Club should support your ballot measure’s position?
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PART 2:
Yes or No Questions (Please check Yes or No for each question.)
GENERAL YES NO
Are you registered to vote as a Democrat? X
Have you ever sought elected office before? X
Do you have a campaign consultant or other main point of contact? If so, X who? Leslie Simon (415)377-5330 [email protected]
Have you ever sought a Milk Club endorsement in the past? X
LGBTQ ISSUES & SEXUAL LIBERATION YES NO
Do you support codifying various relationship structures as a protected X class? (For example, a law that would prohibit discrimination against people in consensual nonmonogamous relationships in employment, housing, education, and healthcare.)
Do you support public funding for workforce programs, specifically for X transgender job-seekers?
Do you support public funding to expand access to PrEP? X
Do you support decriminalizing sex work? X
TENANTS, HOUSING, AND HOMELESSNESS YES NO
Do you support immediate rent cancellation and mortgage forbearance for X all tenants and homeowners impacted by COVID-19?
Do you support the creation of an independent commission to oversee the X Department of Homelessness and Supportive Services?
Do you support the split-role repeal of Proposition 13? X
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Do you support the repeal of the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act? X
Do you support the repeal of the Ellis Act? X
Have you ever evicted a tenant? X
Do you support the sweeps of homeless encampments by the Department X of Public Works or SFPD?
Do you support the public acquisition of hotel rooms for permanent shelter X and/or supportive housing for the homeless?
Did you support Measure D, the vacant property tax, this year? X
Would you support a licensing system for landlords in San Francisco? X
Do you support a public municipal bank in San Francisco? X
Do you support this year’s proposed real estate transfer tax for properties X valued at or over $10 million?
IMMIGRATION JUSTICE ISSUES YES NO
Should U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement be abolished? X
Do you support San Francisco’s Sanctuary City status? X
Do you support due process protections for immigrant youth accused of X crimes?
Do you support allowing undocumented San Franciscans to serve on City X boards and commissions?
Do you support increased funds for immigrant defense services? X
RACIAL & SOCIAL JUSTICE YES NO 15
Do you support the death penalty? X
Do you support the use of tasers by law enforcement? X
Do you support requiring an independent investigation of all police X officer-related shootings?
Does your campaign accept contributions from law-enforcement X associations, unions, or organizations?
Do you support disbanding the SFPD and requiring officers to reapply to a X newly constructed, less violent police force?
Should the San Francisco Police Officers Association be disbanded or at X least have its political influence in the City severely curtailed?
Do you support qualified immunity for police officers? X
Do you support reparations for Black San Franciscans? X
Do you support the implementation of supervised injection/consumption X sites?
Do you support extending voting rights in local elections to currently and X formerly incarcerated people?
Have you ever crossed a union picket line or ignored a union boycott? X
Do you support the right for public sector employees to go on strike? X
Do support repealing California’s Proposition 209? X
Do you support the California App-Based Drivers Regulations Initiative? X
Do you support rebuilding the county jail at 850 Bryant? X
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ENVIRONMENTAL AND TRANSPORTATION ISSUES YES NO
Do you support dissolving Pacific, Gas, & Electric and replacing it with a X publicly-owned utility agency?
Do you support expanding the CleanPower SF program? X
Do you support a plan to provide free transportation citywide? X
Should the mayor continue to appoint all commissioners to the SFMTA? X
PUBLIC CORRUPTION & POLITICAL TRANSPARENCY YES NO
Did you support the Sunlight on Dark Money (Prop. F) measure on the X November 2019 ballot?
Do you support expanding SF’s public financing program to all City and X County elected offices?
Do you support Supervisor Matt Haney’s ballot measure to split Public X Works into two departments, each with its own oversight commission?
Do you support Supervisor Gordon Mar’s ballot measure to create an Office X of the Public Advocate?
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PART 3:
Support of Other Candidates (Please answer whom you support or supported in each race. If you made a ranked endorsement or voted for more than one candidate using IRV, please indicate the rankings.)
2020 Candidate
Democratic Presidential Primary Bernie Sanders
CA State Senate, District 11 Jackie Fielder
District 1 Supervisor
District 3 Supervisor
District 5 Supervisor
District 7 Supervisor
District 11 Supervisor
2019 Candidate
District 5 Supervisor
San Francisco District Attorney
2018 Candidate
Mayor Mark Leno
District 4 Supervisor
District 6 Supervisor
District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman
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District 10 Supervisor
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